Douluo Continent: Long Live the Spirit Hall

What he said wasn't entirely wrong. Davis and Dai Mubai were both princes of the Star Luo Empire, with Davis being the first crown prince and the most promising future emperor. His death in Tian Dou City was a serious political event, and the Star Luo Empire certainly wouldn't let it go.

“You’re right. Under normal circumstances, the deaths of the two of you in Tiandou City would indeed be a huge problem.” Yan calmly looked at Dai Mubai, and after a moment, said in a clear voice, “But what if something even more dramatic happens in Tiandou City? Do you know why I chose to act today? Because this is destined to be an extraordinary night. After tonight, everything in the Tiandou Empire will change.”

“What is this… uh…” Dai Mubai instinctively sensed the conspiracy. Perhaps it was Yan’s previous conversation that gave him the wrong impression, making him think he would get a reply. However, what responded to him was not Yan’s words, but a shadow swept past. He instantly felt a pain in his neck, and then gradually lost his strength.

"Thud!" Dai Mubai clutched his throat and collapsed weakly to the ground. A trace of blood appeared on his throat, and the gushing blood accelerated his exhaustion. Dai Mubai struggled to move his gaze, watching that figure gradually recede into the distance.

"Zhu, Qing..." No one knows what Dai Mubai was thinking in his last moments. He probably died with his eyes wide open, just like Davis. The two brothers fought for their whole lives, but in the end, they died in the same way, both at the hands of their fiancées.

Directly in front of Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing stood there blankly, her right hand hanging limply, the traces of blood almost dried. Having personally dealt with Dai Mubai, her heart was filled with inexplicable complex emotions.

Yan stepped forward and embraced Zhu Zhuqing. Zhu Zhuqing showed no reaction, her expression seemingly cold. Yan's voice came through the warm embrace.

"If you feel uncomfortable, you can hit me a few times." These simple words instantly broke Zhu Zhuqing's defenses. She didn't cry or even make a sound, but she struggled in Yan's arms, as if she had collapsed at that moment.

Zhu Zhuyun approached and looked at Zhu Zhuqing in Yan's arms, sighing inwardly. She understood Zhu Zhuqing's feelings all too well; for them, the existence of Davis and Dai Mubai was extremely complicated.

On the one hand, the sisters were educated by the Zhu family from a young age, and influenced by the environment and even self-hypnotized, they accepted in their hearts that they belonged to the princes of the Dai family and were their fiancées.

On the other hand, their natural instinct is to resist fate to some extent, and this resistance is aroused and even realized after they meet Yan.

The sisters harbored these complex feelings until tonight, but when they truly understood their former fiancé, it brought a completely different experience.

Zhu Zhuyun had been with Yan for longer, and had even harbored some resentment towards Davis for a long time, making her more accepting of him.

As for Zhu Zhuqing, it's clear from her solitary escape from the Star Luo Empire that her feelings for Dai Mubai are more complex. Now that she's been forced to kill her own fiancé, it's no wonder she reacts this way.

Yan comforted Zhu Zhuqing and then said softly to Zhu Zhuyun, "I know I was wrong in this matter. If you blame me, I will accept it." Zhu Zhuyun was slightly taken aback, then shook her head. She did have a momentary struggle before killing Davis, but once it was over, it was over for her.

She understood Yan's reason for arranging all of this: to ensure that she and her sisters completely severed ties with the past. And when she agreed and took action, she had already made her decision.

Zhu Zhuqing was in the same boat, but she just couldn't accept it for the time being. Yan, having comforted the two kittens, couldn't help but look up towards the center of Tiandou City, in the direction of the Tiandou Imperial Palace.

"The palace must have made its move as well; tonight is destined to be anything but peaceful." Zhu Zhuyun leaned closer considerately and said softly, "Your Highness, leave Zhuqing to me. You should go to the palace to oversee the important matters..."

"No rush, we can stay a little longer." Yan shook his head, reached out and hugged the big cat into his arms as well. It felt great to have both the big and small cats in his arms at the same time, but he didn't have any other thoughts at the moment. He just stood in a corner of Tiandou City with them in his arms.

...Late at night, outside the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace, a figure clad in armor led a small squad of Imperial Guards to the palace of Emperor Xueye.

Outside the Emperor's palace on a snowy night, soldiers clad in full armor and wielding spears remained vigilant despite the appearance of the Imperial Guard. They coldly watched the guards approach, and when they came within ten paces of the palace, they raised their weapons and aimed them at the newcomers.

"It's me." The armored figure leading the Imperial Guard removed his helmet ten paces from the palace, allowing the guards to see his face clearly.

"Your Highness." The soldiers recognized the armored figure and felt a sense of relief mixed with curiosity. Why was the Crown Prince dressed like this?

"I have urgent business to discuss with His Majesty. You shall remain on guard." Xue Qinghe stepped forward and barged in without waiting for the soldiers to ask any questions. The soldiers did not dare to stop him.

Emperor Xueye had delegated power to the Crown Prince for many years, and these soldiers were actually Xue Qinghe's confidants. Although they found the Crown Prince's behavior today a little strange, they dared not cause any trouble without Emperor Xueye's prior order.

Xue Qinghe glanced at the guards behind him, and someone came forward to change the guards. Only then did the soldiers and commanders realize that something was wrong. However, most of them had been promoted by Xue Qinghe, and although they were shocked, they did not dare to resist.

Since Emperor Xueye's health began to decline several years ago, he had long ago shown his intention to pass the throne to Xue Qinghe. Most of the affairs inside and outside the palace had been handed over to the Crown Prince, and even the defense of the palace was almost complete. Therefore, Xue Qinghe's entry into the palace this time was so smooth.

"His Majesty has already rested. His Highness the Crown Prince has ordered that no one is allowed to enter the palace to disturb him. Anyone who disobeys will be executed without mercy." After issuing the strict order, Xue Qinghe only brought a small number of trusted confidants into the palace. After bringing the situation under control, he finally chose to enter the palace alone to see his father.

"What's going on outside? Why is it so noisy?" On the most important dragon bed in the Heavenly Dou Palace, the somewhat sleepless Emperor Xueye woke up after hearing the faint noise outside. He subconsciously looked around and couldn't help but ask. Immediately, a palace maid came to his bedside to serve him.

"Your Majesty, it seems the Crown Prince requests an audience." A palace maid spoke softly to Emperor Xueye, her demeanor respectful and not daring to be impolite. Although the outside world always said that Emperor Xueye was kind and approachable, these close attendants knew even better that this emperor also had his moments of irritability.

Most people would vent their anger by smashing or breaking things, but when an emperor is angry, death is a common occurrence. They didn't want to be the unlucky ones, so they could only serve him with utmost care.

"Qinghe? What's he doing here so late?" Emperor Xueye wondered, then waved his hand after a moment's thought.

"Let the Crown Prince in, you all go out first." He was fairly satisfied with the successor he had chosen. Although Xue Qinghe was suspected of plotting against his brothers, it was just a suspicion, and it could also be a conspiracy by the Spirit Hall.

Moreover, if Xue Qinghe is truly that ruthless, as long as he is not exposed, he has no intention of deposing the emperor for the time being.

After all, the current situation left him with few options. The Spirit Hall was growing stronger every day, and the influence of the Heaven Dou Royal Family was declining. Crown Prince Xue Qinghe had been nurtured by him for many years, and taking over the empire would at least allow him to maintain some stability. He had no other choice.

"Father." Xue Qinghe bowed respectfully before Emperor Xue Ye's dragon bed, his manners were quite impeccable, and apart from his attire, there were no other faults.

"Qinghe, what are you doing?" Just as Emperor Xueye was about to wave his hand to indicate that his son did not need to be so polite, he suddenly noticed that Xue Qinghe was wearing a full suit of armor. This immediately aroused his vigilance. Recalling the commotion outside just now, Emperor Xueye had a bad feeling.

Chapter 406 Royal Secrets

"Father, I have just received news that my second uncle and fourth brother are plotting a rebellion." Xue Qinghe did not directly answer Emperor Xue Ye's question, but instead bowed and reported a shocking piece of news.

"What did you say?" Emperor Xueye's voice suddenly rang out, a splash of color instantly brightening his tired and aged face, his expression filled with disbelief.

"Cough cough cough cough..." Emperor Xueye coughed violently, while Xue Qinghe remained bowing in place, showing no intention of stepping forward, seemingly waiting for his order to arrest the traitors.

"You, you've taken control of the palace." Emperor Xueye propped himself up on the headboard, his ailing body resting on one hand. He was indeed a great emperor; in just a short time, he had connected many things from the commotion just now.

Everything Xue Qinghe has now is due to his delegation of power, and as an emperor who has ruled the empire for decades, it is still easy for him to judge certain situations.

"Father, I have no choice but to do this now." A symbolic sincerity appeared in Xue Qinghe's eyes.

“My second uncle and fourth brother are eyeing the throne covetously, and now they are even plotting a rebellion. If I don’t do this, and something happens to you, there is a high chance of palace infighting, which I don’t think is what you want to see.”

"What a joke! Xue Xing and Xue Beng are plotting a rebellion. They don't even have a single military command. What makes them think they can rebel?" Emperor Xue Ye coldly stared at his son, feeling utterly alienated from him.

“Qinghe, tell me, why did you do this? I have already handed over most of the power in the empire to you. I know you have a conflict with Xuexing. I even stripped your second uncle of his military power because of this. Now you are only one title away from the throne. Why can’t you wait any longer?”

"Father, it's not that I'm unwilling to wait, but my second uncle and fourth brother are unwilling to give up." Seeing that Emperor Xue Ye had spoken so frankly, Xue Qinghe stopped pretending to be a filial son, straightened his back, and looked directly at Emperor Xue Ye.

"What I just said, that my second uncle and fourth brother were plotting a rebellion, was not unfounded. However, they weren't rebelling against you, Father Emperor, but against me. They didn't want to acknowledge me as the crown prince. You've always known about the conflict between my second uncle and me. He has repeatedly used his seniority to interfere in my affairs. Even after you stripped him of his military power, he still didn't submit to me. If that were all, it wouldn't be so bad, but he shouldn't have associated with my fourth brother. I truly didn't expect that my second uncle would actually teach my fourth brother to hide his talents. He's my fourth brother's teacher. Can you believe it? Everything Xue Beng did was an act. His纨绔 (wán kù, a spoiled, dissolute young man) side was all a facade, even his Soul Master talent was a disguise. It's not that he couldn't break through to the Soul Master level; he just kept his talent hidden. Tell me, what is their purpose in doing this?" Emperor Xue Ye looked at Xue Qinghe with disappointment, remained silent for a long time, and then sighed, "Just because of this? Just because of this, you must put them to death? Once the crime of treason is established, even members of the royal family are doomed to die."

"Father, isn't this enough?" Xue Qinghe looked at his father excitedly.

"What is the purpose of my second uncle training my fourth brother to hide? Isn't it to seize my position? You have already designated me as the crown prince, yet they still do this. This is going against your will, and they are plotting a rebellion."

"Qinghe, what if I told you that Father Emperor knew about Xue Beng?" Emperor Xueye remained silent for a long time before calmly sighing, "I had Xue Xing teach Xue Beng to be a spoiled brat. I just hoped he could live a peaceful life without harboring any illusions. He won't fight for what doesn't belong to him, do you understand?" Xue Qinghe was slightly taken aback by Emperor Xueye's words, then smiled, a smile completely different from his usual one. He stared at Emperor Xueye and said coldly, "So, you already knew."

"Alas!" Emperor Xueye sighed.

"What do I know? I just didn't want to see you brothers kill each other, so I had Xue Beng back down. After all, you are my eldest son, the child I've poured the most heart and soul into." Xue Qinghe forced a smile and bowed again to Emperor Xue Ye.

“Father, I understand your good intentions, but it seems that my second uncle and fourth brother are unwilling to follow your arrangements. I just received news before coming to the palace that my second uncle and fourth brother are preparing to attack, and my second uncle has already contacted his old subordinates…”

"How is this possible?" Emperor Xueye was completely shocked when he heard the news. He originally thought that today's events were just his eldest son's impulsive act because he sensed a hidden threat from his fourth son. However, he never expected to receive such news.

He knew very well that his second brother, Xue Xing, was not an impulsive person. The fact that he would act this way now was surprising. No wonder Xue Qinghe had come to the palace early to make arrangements; something was definitely going on. Xue Xing wasn't usually so impulsive, and the Crown Prince shouldn't have… Emperor Xueye stared at Xue Qinghe suspiciously, then said coldly after a moment, “Qinghe, there's something you haven't explained to your father. Your second uncle is definitely not an impulsive person, and you, whom I've taught for many years, shouldn't be so composed. Why did you impulsively bring troops here? There's something you haven't explained to me.” Xue Qinghe's body trembled slightly, then he bowed again, saying, “Father, my second uncle and fourth brother did indeed plot a rebellion tonight. Please give the order.” Seeing Xue Qinghe's reaction, Emperor Xueye sensed something was amiss and couldn't help but angrily say, “Tell me, what exactly happened? Xue Qinghe, what have you done?” Xue Qinghe explained to Emperor Xueye…

"Father, your son has not done anything harmful to the Empire. However, my second uncle and fourth brother believed the rumors and tried to slander me..." Emperor Xue Ye's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said coldly, "Just slander? Why are you afraid of mere slander? Could it be the truth? Eldest brother, you did what you did to the second and third brothers, didn't you?" Xue Qinghe couldn't help but tremble when he heard this, and cold sweat poured down his back.

The original Emperor Xueye was like a sick tiger, powerful yet visibly weak and not very intimidating. However, at this moment, he suddenly became much colder and more stern, and just a few words from him made Xue Qinghe feel the pressure.

"Father, what are you saying? I don't quite understand." Xue Qinghe's deepest secret was exposed, and he was filled with immense fear. He was still very afraid of his father, so when he learned that Xue Xing and Xue Beng were preparing to enter the palace to report this secret to Emperor Xue Ye, he chose to take a gamble.

But to his utter surprise, before Xue Xing and Xue Beng could even report it, Emperor Xue Ye directly stated the secret with certainty, which naturally filled him with immense fear.

"I used to guess, but now I'm certain." Emperor Xueye looked at Xue Qinghe and sighed, "While our Heavenly Dou royal bloodline isn't as abundant with strong individuals as the barbarians of Xingluo, it's not exactly weak either. Xue Ke was the weakest among your generation, yet she, a girl, grew up healthy. The second and third sons shouldn't have died so easily. Since their deaths are suspicious, I, as their father, must investigate. But this involves palace and royal secrets, so I couldn't entrust it to just anyone. That's why I entrusted it to Xue Xing. Xue Xing didn't find anything..." "There's so much to it, but for safety's sake, I entrusted him to Xue Beng to bide his time and hide himself. He's been hiding for so many years, and he's grown up smoothly." Emperor Xue Ye glanced at Xue Qinghe as he said this, then continued, "Actually, from these events, I've roughly guessed some of the truth behind the deaths of the second and third sons, but I'm unwilling to reveal it. Do you know why? Because you are also my son. Qinghe, you are my eldest son. I decided on your position as heir apparent a long time ago. You are the crown prince, the crown prince in power. You're only one title away from that position. Why couldn't you wait?"

"Father, Father." Xue Qinghe was shocked by Emperor Xue Ye's words. He did not expect that his father had known so much all along. In his panic, he could only call out. When he called his father's name again, he was calmer and spoke much louder.

After calming down and thinking things through, he finally spoke again: "Father, this is not me being aggressive, but my second uncle and fourth brother are unwilling to lose power. I have received news that they are preparing to enter the palace to report to you the rumors that I killed my second and third brothers."

"So, this isn't a rumor at all, is it?" Emperor Xueye closed his eyes in anguish. Xue Qinghe didn't respond, but from his son's reaction, he already knew it was true.

Although he had suspected it for a long time, when everything was finally confirmed, Emperor Xueye was still heartbroken.

His two sons were killed by his eldest son. The brothers were fighting amongst themselves, and it seemed that this tragedy would continue tonight. He was in extreme pain.

"Qinghe, why are you forcing me?" Emperor Xueye looked at his eldest son, whom he valued most, with disappointment.

"Do you know? Even if Xuexing and Xuebeng come to report this matter tonight, I will not depose you from your position as crown prince. Xuebeng may indeed be unwilling, but I will not support him. You are the crown prince I chose, and I have already abdicated power to you, so how could I change my mind because of these things?" Emperor Xueye's words were sincere. He had long suspected the deaths of the second and third princes, otherwise he would not have had Prince Xuexing teach Xuebeng to pretend to be a playboy. He had actually guessed the truth from many clues, but he had never had solid evidence.

Even though he had guessed some things, he did not intend to depose Xue Qinghe. On the contrary, he relied on and even nurtured the crown prince more and more. In recent years, he even took the initiative to hand over power, which clearly showed that he really wanted to pass the throne to him.

How could such a resolute emperor change his mind because of these things?

Chapter 407 Palace Uprising

"Qinghe, don't you understand? Even if Xuexing and Xuebeng bring evidence to me, I won't cripple you. Instead, I'll block all information." Deep within the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace, in his bedchamber, Emperor Xueye looked at Xue Qinghe, whose expression was constantly changing, and his helplessness was even more bitter.

Now, by making things clear with Xue Qinghe, although he has expressed his feelings, it is really uncomfortable for Emperor Xue Ye. Such things need to be discussed.

"Father, I beg for your forgiveness." Xue Qinghe was very embarrassed to see the Emperor Xue Ye throwing a tantrum like this, but he did not regret bringing troops into the palace this time.

Although he was scolded by Emperor Xueye for meddling when he led his troops into the palace this time, Xue Qinghe didn't really think he was being nosy.

If he hadn't taken the initiative to lead the troops this time, his father probably wouldn't have been able to tell him the truth, let alone have the advantage they have now.

"Alright, this matter is mostly a misunderstanding. If Xue Xing and Xue Beng really overstep their bounds later, I will reprimand them." Emperor Xue Ye was annoyed that his son had gone too far when he heard Xue Qinghe's words, but he didn't have many good solutions.

He had previously favored Xue Qinghe and had not paid much attention to the fact that even the palace guards had defected to the crown prince in order to transfer power. However, he never expected that he would finally stumble on this matter.

Now that the crown prince has taken control of the palace, Emperor Xueye is uncomfortable with many things, but he can only pretend to be compliant and deal with his eldest son for the time being.

Xue Qinghe naturally noticed that his father was in a bad mood, but there was nothing he could do about it. He had chosen to confront his father tonight and take control of the palace, which meant he was ready to turn against him. It was already a good thing that they only had a few words exchanged between father and son.

Just as Xue Qinghe was about to express his filial piety again, he suddenly noticed that Emperor Xue Ye's expression was not right.

"Father, I am not... Father, Father..."

"Cough cough, pfft..." Emperor Xueye suddenly vomited a mouthful of dark blood, his sickly eyes fixed on his eldest son before him, and he roared, "Qinghe, you..."

"Father, Father, what's wrong? Don't scare me..." Xue Qinghe saw that Emperor Xue Ye was really panicked, so he quickly went over to support his father. He wasn't stupid; his father had obviously been tricked. It was just bad luck that the incident happened when he was in control of the palace. He had obviously been framed.

Although Xue Qinghe wanted to control the palace and launch a coup, he only wanted his father to become the retired emperor; he had no intention of letting his father die.

Although Xue Qinghe could smoothly become emperor after the death of Emperor Xue Ye, such a sudden succession could easily cause chaos within the empire, which Xue Qinghe truly did not want.

With the Spirit Hall's power growing daily, not only Emperor Xueye is seeking stability, but the Crown Prince is also seeking stability.

"Not you?" Emperor Xueye was a little confused as he looked at Xue Qinghe, who was supporting him and constantly channeling his soul power to try to heal him. Now that his life was hanging by a thread, he really had no way of knowing whether Xue Qinghe was involved in his attack.

"Father, I truly never intended to harm you," Xue Qinghe replied tremblingly to Emperor Xue Ye, then hurriedly called for his subordinates to come in.

"Mr. Yi, please let Mr. Yi in."

"Your Highness." Not long after, an old man cautiously entered the palace and was slightly surprised when he saw Emperor Xueye.

"Mr. Yi, please take a look at my father's condition." Xue Qinghe didn't know to go to the physician right away. Fortunately, he had brought many hidden retainers with him to control the palace. The man in front of him was one of the most trusted experts among them, especially skilled in making poisons.

"Your Highness, I am skilled in making medicine, not... Well, this humble servant can only do his best..." This Mr. Yi looked at the nearly unconscious Emperor Xue Ye and subconsciously declined at first, but seeing that Xue Qinghe's eyes were really frightening, he finally apologized and stepped forward to take his pulse.

A moment later, a strange light flashed in Mr. Yi's eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, His Majesty is not seriously ill, but poisoned, and part of it is..." Mr. Yi lowered his voice and whispered a few words in Xue Qinghe's ear, the gist of which was that Emperor Xue Ye had been poisoned by mixed poisons, and part of it was even medicine he had concocted.

This result surprised Xue Qinghe. The medicine that Mr. Yi mentioned in Emperor Xueye's body was naturally his own creation. He had left a backup plan in case he was afraid that his poisoning of his second and third brothers would be exposed.

However, he used slow-acting poisons, which wouldn't take effect without a catalyst, and he only used them as a last resort.

He never expected that, besides himself, the crown prince, someone else had secretly drugged Emperor Xueye. According to Mr. Yi, several poisons were now taking effect, and Emperor Xueye's condition was extremely bad.